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Types of Gas for Central Heating Boiler

Central heating boilers heat water (and more complex systems may also help heat air) for household use. These boilers typically have a tank filled with water that they keep at a specific temperature. Some boilers use electricity, but gas is more popular due to lower prices. Several different types of gas are used to help heat homes, but the most common options are natural gas and various types of propane.

  1. Natural Gas

    • Natural gas is the most common type of gas for home boilers. Natural gas is piped up from large deposits underground and sent through gas systems that connect neighborhoods to one central source. According to Natural Handyman and Propane 101, natural gas is actually made up of many different types of gas, unfiltered and mixed together, but the most common type of gas is methane. This mixture has both advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, natural gas does not need any refinement to work and this lowers the price considerably, making it the cheapest gas option for most homeowners. On the other hand, the unfiltered quality of natural gas also makes it very inefficient, and it takes much more natural gas to produce the same amount of heat than other options like propane.

    Propane

    • Propane is a general name for a group of gases known as liquefied petroleum gases. This does not mean propane is actually a liquid--the gas is refined from petroleum and is more pure than natural gas. This gives it certain abilities, include a strong reaction to temperature. When cooled enough, petroleum condenses into a liquid, collapsing in on itself. This makes the gas easier to transport by truck, but unfortunately for homeowners, transportation costs make propane's price tag significantly higher than natural gas. Homeowners who do not live near natural gas main lines use propane, because they do not have access to another option.

    Kerosene

    • Kerosene is another type of fuel derived from petroleum, and it is typically heavier than propane, produced from crude oil after propane has been siphoned away. Although called a gas, kerosene is technically an oil. Few homeowners use kerosene frequently, but those who do use it for a variety of heating purposes. According the department of energy, less than 1 percent of single-family households use kerosene for heating purposes, so it is far from a popular choice.

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